"WASHINGTON, DC -- Conservation groups working across the Gulf of Mexico are supporting a bipartisan bill in the Senate that would direct to five Gulf states the billions of dollars in fines that may be imposed on BP and other companies found responsible for the last year's oil spill.

Under current law, most of the fines would go into the U.S. Treasury for general spending, rather than going towards restoration of the Gulf.

The Senate bill, S. 1400, the Resources and Ecosystems Sustainability, Tourist Opportunities, and Revived Economies of the Gulf Coast States Act of 2011, is known as RESTORE the Gulf Coast Act of 2011. It is currently before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee for a vote."

Environment News Service had the story August 3, 2011. [2]